Vitoria Setubal lift Carlsberg Cup!

Sporting 0-0 V. Setubal (Setubal win 3-2 on penalties)

Vitoria Setubal won the inaugural Carlsberg Cup tonight, beating Sporting in a penalty shootout after the final had ended in a goalless draw. A capacity crowd in good voice at the Algarve Stadium seemed to set the stage for a grand finale to the new competition, but the match itself was a disappointing affair.

Sporting dominated possession but it was Setubal who came closest to scoring when man-of-the-match Claudio Pitbull hit the post from a free-kick, and nobody can argue that Setubal are wholly deserving winners of the trophy.

The Algarve showdown was the fourth meeting between the two teams. Carlos Carvalhal’s team had won two and drawn one of the earlier encounters. But with Sporting at full strength and coming of a series of encouraging results the Lions were confident they could reverse Setubal’s hold over them.

However, Carvalhal’s team showed exactly why they are enjoying such a memorable season on all fronts. A rock solid defence, where the commanding Auri was again outstanding, gives a solid foundation to a well organised team. At the other end of the pitch Pitbull’s intelligent running and skilful interlinking play constantly causes problems for the opposition rearguard.

Setubal were happy to hand the initiative to the Lisbon outfit, and Sporting’s midfield saw plenty of the ball, but try as they might they were unable to make headway against a watertight back four.

Liedson and Joao Moutinho had half chances in the first half, while Vukcevic whipped in a dangerous cross that flashed across goal and Romagnoli shot wide in the second half, but that was the sum total of Sporting’s chances.

Incisive Setubal

Setubal looked more incisive on the occasional breakaway, and had a good shout for a penalty turned down in the first half when Abel appeared to bring down Pitbull in the box, but the referee thought otherwise.

That man Pitbull was proving a thorn in Sporting’s side, and the Brazilian was inches away from scoring early in the second half when his free-kick cleared the wall, hit the inside of the post and rolled agonisingly along the line.

Soon afterwards another counter-attack ended with Gama lashing a dangerous shot past Patricio but into the side-netting.

The rules dictated that if the scores were level on 90 minutes the winner would be decided through a penalty shoot-out, and Sporting fans feared the worst with their team’s atrocious record from the spot this season (5 out of 8 penalties missed). And so it proved.

Eduardo saved from Polga, Liedson and Izmailov to trigger wild celebrations among the Setubal fans that are sure to last long into the night.

Sporting:
Rui Patricio, Abel (Pereirinha, 64), Tonel, Polga, Grimi, Miguel Veloso (Adrien, 79), Joao Moutinho, Romagnoli, Izmailov, Liedson
Yellow Cards: Polga, Miguel Veloso

Setubal:
Eduardo, Janicio, Robson, Auri, Jorginho, Sandro, Elias, Ricardo Chaves, Leandro Branco (Filipe Gonçalves, 79), Pitbull, Bruno Gama (Paulinho, 68)
Yellow Cards: Sandro

Penalties:
Auri scores (0-1)
Romagnoli scores (1-1)
Pitbull scores (1-2)
Eduardo saves from Polga (1-2)
Elias scores (1-3)
Moutinho scores (2-3)
Jorginho hits post (2-3)
Eduardo saves from Liedson (2-3)
Patricio saves from Paulinho (2-3)
Eduardo saves from Izmailov (2-3)